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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Uruguay win 2-1 over Korea Republic to advance to Quarter-Finals

Uruguay have made history again, they did it in 1930 by hosting and winning the first World Cup ever. In 1950 they won it again in Brazil with one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, they beat Brazil 2-1 in the final. When Ghiggia scored the winner, the Maracana stadium went silent; they couldn't believe it, the mighty Brazil beaten by Uruguay. Before the match, Brazilian officials had already made the gold medals with the Brazilian player's names on them, and after the game, Brazil changed the color of their kit to the gold and green because they deemed the previous kit to be haunted.

Uruguay also made history by being the first team to introduce African-Uruguayans to the World Cup. Many other countries who now rely on players with roots from Africa found this wrong, but Uruguay made history with the introduction of players of African descent.

So it's wonderful to see Uruguay, a nation with so much history in soccer, advance to the quarter-finals and play the winner of USA - Ghana.

Uruguay - Korea Republic

Korea Republic started well, just five minutes in Park Chu-Young clipped the post with a curling free kick, but they conceded three minutes later. Luis Suarez nips in at the back post on Forlan's cross which goal-keeper Jung Sung-Ryong was unable to stop. Uruguay then began to play defensively as Korea Republic pressed to find the equalizer.

Eventually, Korea Republic found the equalizer after Muslera came out but didn't punch the ball away as Lee Chung-Yong headed it into the open net. Uruguay now didn't want to go to extra time against a fit and fast Korean team, and so ten minutes from the 90th Luis Suarez creates a magnificent goal. Inside the box with two defenders on him, Suarez makes some space for himself and curls a beautiful shot which pings off of the far post and into the back of the net. An epic winner which allows Uruguay to move on to the quarter-finals.